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    Home » Recipes » Condiments & Dips

    Citrus Herb Compound Butter

    Published: Nov 22, 2023 · by Renée B. · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe   Print Recipe
    Compound butter roll and coins resting on small cutting board, garnished with fresh sage and rosemary. Pin text overlay reads Orange & Herb Compound Butter.

    Top your favorite fish, poultry, or veggie dish with a slice of this delectable Orange and Herb Compound Butter. Makes a perfect herb butter rub for Thanksgiving turkey, too!

    Compound butter roll and coins resting on small cutting board, garnished with fresh sage and rosemary.
    Jump to:
    • Why Compound Butter?
    • Citrus Herb Butter Ingredients
    • How to Compound Butter
    • Variations
    • Equipment
    • Storage
    • Top Tip: Roll a Perfect Butter Log
    • Ways to Use Citrus Herb Butter
    • Citrus Herb Compound Butter

    Why Compound Butter?

    Compound butter is the result of mixing plain butter with flavorful aromatics like herbs, spices, cheeses, and/or citrus. This citrus herb compound butter is excellent as a condiment for fish, chicken, meats of all kinds, vegetables, casseroles, bread and rolls; the list goes on. It's a lovely, flavorful addition to your holiday table, too.

    Speaking of the holidays (and in particular the turkey-centric ones), we like to use this orange and herb butter for turkey preparation. (The flavors go perfectly with our Citrus & Herb Apple Cider Turkey Brine!) Before putting the bird in the oven, we rub this herby butter under and over the skin on the turkey breast and legs. This adds flavor, moistens the meat, and helps the skin cook up crispy and golden brown.

    Citrus Herb Butter Ingredients

    The ingredient list for this savory citrus herb compound butter is short and simple.

    Ingredients for this Citrus & Herb Compound Butter, measured and prepped.
    • Butter: We prefer to use salted butter, but unsalted butter works.
    • Fresh sage: It is essential that you use fresh herbs in compound butter.
    • Fresh rosemary: (see Sage ↑)
    • Orange zest: Use fresh orange zest. Mandarine orange zest or lemon zest can be substituted.
    • White pepper: White pepper gives the butter a mild, peppery zing without overwhelming the other subtle flavors. You can use black pepper, but its flavor will taste more forward.

    How to Compound Butter

    Before starting, allow the butter to warm to room temperature naturally [(66-69°F (19-21°C)]. Avoid microwaving it.

    The butter should be soft and easy to work with, but not melting. We recommend setting the butter out the night before.

    Butter and aromatic ingredients in a molcajete, unmixed.

    Combine the chopped herbs, zest, and butter in a molcajete or heavy bowl.

    Use a pestle, the round end of french rolling pin, or the back of a wooden spoon to mash the ingredients together until they form a cohesive paste.

    Butter and aromatics mixed in a molcajete.

    Compound butter is ready to use right away. Spread into a butter crock, or form the prepared butter into a butter log and refrigerate until ready to use.

    Plastic wrapped cylinder of compound herb butter, ready to refrigerate.

    Variations

    There are countless variations of the basic compound butter recipe. Here are a few more we particularly enjoy:

    • Mexican Street Corn Compound Butter
    • Roasted Garlic Compound Butter
    • Lemon & Herb Compound Butter: Make this herb butter recipe but substitute lemon zest for the orange zest. Use tarragon or thyme for the herbs if desired. Delicious on fish!

    Equipment

    Our preferred "tool" for making compound butter is a molcajete (stone mortar and pestle). As the molcajete mixes the butter, it bruises the herbs and zest in the process, releasing more of their natural oils and making the butter even more flavorful.

    You can make a makeshift mortar and pestle by using the round end of french rolling pin in a small mixing bowl. You can also just use the back of a fork to smash everything together in a bowl.

    Storage

    Refrigerate: This compound butter can be stored covered in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

    Freeze: Store wrapped butter rolls in an airtight container or resealable freezer bag for up to three months.

    Top Tip: Roll a Perfect Butter Log

    Collage illustrating how to wrap compound butter for storage and serving.

    To form a compound butter log, place the mixed butter on a square of plastic wrap, parchment, or waxed paper. Fold the wrap up and over the log, tucking it in the other side so the whole log is covered.

    Using the wrap, continue to shape the log. A cardboard bathroom tissue roll is very helpful here: carefully pull the wrapped butter through the center for a perfect-sized cylinder.

    Compound butter roll and coins resting on small cutting board.

    Ways to Use Citrus Herb Butter

    This citrus herb butter packs a lot of flavor in a small package! Melt slices over fish, poultry, or pork, or raise the recipe bar by replacing plain butter with compound butter on casseroles, beans, rice, potatoes, noodles, breads, and vegetables of all kinds. (It's fabulous on roast butternut squash!)

    We love to use this citrus herb butter for turkey prep! We butter-rub the turkey under and over the skin right before putting it in the oven, and the butter infuses it with rich, aromatic flavor as it roasts.

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    Compound butter roll and coins resting on small cutting board, garnished with fresh sage and rosemary.
    5 from 5 votes

    Citrus Herb Compound Butter

    Top your favorite fish, poultry, or veggie dish with a slice of this delectable Orange and Herb Compound Butter. Makes a perfect herb butter for Thanksgiving turkey, too!
    Print Pin Add to Shopping List Go to Shopping List
    Course: Condiment
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
    Prep Time:10 minutes minutes
    Roasting Garlic:50 minutes minutes
    Total Time:1 hour hour
    Servings: 16 servings
    Calories: 100kcal
    Author: Renee
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Equipment

    • 1 Baking Tray
    • 1 molcajete or mortar & pestle, or a large bowl and the back of a wooden spoon

    Ingredients

    US Customary - Metric
    • 1 cup butter room temperature
    • 1 tablespoon minced fresh sage
    • 2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
    • 1½ teaspoons orange zest
    • ½ teaspoon white pepper

    Instructions

    • Before starting, allow the butter to warm to room temperature naturally [(66-69°F (19-21°C)]. Avoid microwaving it.
    • Combine the chopped herbs, zest, and butter in a molcajete or heavy bowl.
      Use a pestle, the round end of french rolling pin, or the back of a wooden spoon to mash the ingredients together until they form a cohesive paste.
    • Compound butter is ready to use right away.
      Spread into a butter crock, or form the prepared butter into a butter log and refrigerate until ready to use.

    Notes

    To form a compound butter log, place the mixed butter on a square of plastic wrap, parchment, or waxed paper. Fold the wrap up and over the log, tucking it in the other side so the whole log is covered.
    Using the wrap, continue to shape the log. A cardboard bathroom tissue roll is very helpful here: carefully pull the wrapped butter through the center for a perfect-sized cylinder.
    Refrigerate: Compound butter can be stored covered in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
    Freeze: Store wrapped butter rolls in an airtight container or resealable freezer bag for up to three months.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1tablespoon | Calories: 100kcal | Carbohydrates: 0.1g | Protein: 0.1g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 91mg | Potassium: 4mg | Fiber: 0.04g | Sugar: 0.01g | Vitamin A: 355IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 0.01mg
    This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
    Have you tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!

    Love it? Pin it! If you love this Fresh Herbs & Citrus Compound Butter recipe, be sure to save it! Pin it to your favorite Pinterest recipe board before you go!

    Compound butter roll and coins resting on small cutting board, garnished with fresh sage and rosemary. Pin text overlay reads Orange & Herb Compound Butter.

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    About Renée B.

    Renée is self-taught home chef with a penchant for creating healthy(ish) comfort food recipes, and adapting vintage recipes for the 21st century cook. In her spare time, she writes unfinished novels and songs about cowboys.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      5 from 5 votes

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    1. Anjali says

      January 04, 2024 at 12:51 am

      5 stars
      This compound butter was such a great way to dress up our regular butter when we served it alongside rolls with our dinner! It was packed with herb flavor and so creamy too!

      Reply
    2. Ieva says

      January 04, 2024 at 12:36 am

      5 stars
      Love it! We already used it on boiled potatoes and on white fish! Such a simple way to add flavour and decadence to otherwise simple meals.

      Reply
    3. MacKenzie says

      January 03, 2024 at 9:26 pm

      5 stars
      I made this last weekend and added to my salmon. It added the perfect amount of flavor. The fresh fresh herbs paired with the citrus is amazing.

      Reply
      • Renée B. says

        January 03, 2024 at 9:48 pm

        Salmon is one of my favorite ways to use compound butter, too!

        Reply
    4. Gianne says

      January 03, 2024 at 7:25 pm

      5 stars
      The combination of citrus and herbs gives it such a refreshing and vibrant flavor. It's perfect for adding a burst of deliciousness to grilled veggies or spreading on warm bread.

      Reply
      • Renée B. says

        January 03, 2024 at 9:49 pm

        We love it on grilled veggies!

        Reply
    5. Lauren Harris says

      January 03, 2024 at 5:46 pm

      5 stars
      This is one of my favorite butter combinations to use on steak and vegetables. So easy to make and so tasty too!

      Reply
      • Renée B. says

        January 03, 2024 at 6:27 pm

        The orange and rosemary combo really complements those savory flavors!

        Reply

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